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Burton Albion v Manchester City (EFL Cup 2018-19)
| next = }} Burton Albion v Manchester City was a match which took place at the Pirelli Stadium on Wednesday 23 January 2019. Manchester City reached the Carabao Cup final after completing a 10-0 aggregate win over League One Burton in their semi-final. The tie was already over after City's remarkable 9-0 first-leg win but Pep Guardiola still named several first-team stars in a weakened line-up. Sergio Aguero scored the only goal of the night from Riyad Mahrez's pass after good play from Kevin de Bruyne. Burton did have chances with Will Miller's shot cleared off the line. EFL Cup holders City will face either Chelsea or Tottenham in the Wembley final on Sunday, 24 February. Spurs lead 1-0 going into Thursday's semi-final second leg against the Blues at Stamford Bridge. City's sensational win in the first game made the second leg, played in the freezing cold, a formality. It was arguably the lowest-key semi-final the competition has seen. Guardiola named City's youngest XI in over a decade, with eight changes from the weekend's Premier League win over Huddersfield. But the three regulars in the line-up combined for the goal. De Bruyne was playing in a deep midfield role as he builds his fitness following an injury. He played a long ball out to the right for £60m winger Mahrez, who found Aguero - with City's all-time top scorer sweeping home in the box. Aguero, who missed a simple chance to make it 2-0 in the second half, has scored in five of his past six League Cup semi-final appearances. City handed a debut to England Under-19 winger Ian Carlo Poveda, who was lively, and Eric Garcia blocked a shot on the line after fellow young defender Philippe Sandler lost possession. Goalkeeper Arijanet Muric looked shaky on more than one occasion but kept his fourth clean sheet in five EFL Cup games this season. Guardiola made substitutions in the second half - with France left-back Benjamin Mendy returning from injury and 18-year-old Felix Nmecha coming on for a debut. There was never any danger of a Burton comeback and City are 90 minutes away from retaining the trophy next month. Burton's finest hour, in reaching their first-ever major national semi-final, will be forever remembered for the first-leg demolition. But they restored some pride, even if they could not score the goal which boss Nigel Clough had longed to see. In front of a partisan crowd of 6,519, they created chances with Liam Boyce forcing a save with a back-heel and David Templeton shooting over from long range early in the second half. Templeton also had a penalty appeal turned down when he was tackled by Danilo on the edge of the box. A huge roar from Burton's crowd met their best chance as Miller's shot was cleared off the line by Garcia after Muric had saved a Boyce effort. Now their attentions must turn back to League One, with the Brewers only six points above the relegation zone. Match Details |goals2 = |stadium = Pirelli Stadium, Burton upon Trent |attendance = 6,519 |referee = Kevin Friend }} |valign="top"| |valign="top" width="50%"| |} External links *Match report at BBC.co.uk Category:2018-19 Match Day info Category:Burton Albion F.C. matches Category:Manchester City F.C. matches